The Iron Hunt - Marjorie M Liu

The Iron Hunt
by Marjorie M Liu
Pub: Orbit
Cover Illus: Steve Stone
First in a series.

Maxine Kiss is the last Warden, it's up to her to protect the world from the things imprisoned in the the Veil and the veil is falling. By day Maxine is all but immortal with the little demons that protect her sleeping on her body as tattoos, but at night they pull away from her skin and leave her mortal once again.

Liu gradually introduces the reader to the cast of this novel and filters in information throughout never revealing everything. There are so many mysteries here, what Grant really is, what the full capacity of Maxine will be, who is the ancestor everyone believes her to be so like. Her relationship with her demons is complex, they are affectionate and co dependent, yet the Kiss women are demon hunters, how did such deal come about and what secrets do they keep?

With half truths, missing information and mysteries Liu keeps up the tension, while a cycle of action, brief respites and revelations keep the story moving forward well. There are some emotional moments that really help to connect Maxine with the reader, the Kiss women never really get the chance to enjoy a family so those moments where emotional connections are witnessed are especially poignant.

This is a well crafted modern fantasy novel and I am looking forward to the rest of the series. I also suspect I have been missing out having ignored Liu for so long.

Review copy provided by Orbit.